Tourism & Travel

About Saba, Dutch Caribbean

Saba is a Caribbean island and the smallest special municipality of the Netherlands. It consists largely of the potentially active volcano Mount Scenery, which at 887 metres (2,910 ft) is the highest point within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Saba became a special municipality within the country of the Netherlands after the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles on 10 October 2010.

The island has a land area of 13 square kilometres. As of January 2013, the population was 1,991 inhabitants. Its current towns and major settlements are The Bottom (the capital), Windwardside, Hell’s Gate and St. Johns.

As the island is part of the Netherlands, Dutch is the official language. Despite the island’s Dutch affiliation, English is the principal language spoken on the island and has been used in its school system since the 19th century. This is why English can be used in communications with the local government. Since 1 January 2011, the U.S. dollar has been the official currency.

The island of Saba is relatively new to the tourism industry, with about 25,000 visitors each year. The island has a number of inns, hotels, rental cottages and restaurants. Saba is known as “The Unspoiled Queen” of the Caribbean. The island is especially known for its ecotourism, having exceptional scuba diving, climbing and hiking. A non-governmental conservation organization, Saba Conservation Foundation, helps protect the nature and culture of the island.

About 150 species of fish have been found in Saba’s waters. A main draw for divers are the pinnacle dive sites, where magma pushed through the sea floor to create underwater towers of volcanic rock that start at about 300 feet (91 m) down and rise to about 85 feet (26 m) beneath the surface. The waters around Saba were designated as the Saba National Marine Park in 1987, and are subject to government regulation to preserve the coral reefs and other marine life.

For more information go to Wikipedia or visit the tourist information sections on SabaNews.